Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 1 (of 2)Clark, George Thomas
History
Mediæval Military Architecture in England, Volume 1 (of 2)
Clark, George Thomas
Architecture -- England; Architecture, Medieval; Military architecture
M. Deville is disposed to attribute the southern gate to Charles V.,
as he finds a record of 1367, charging cost of transport of 6 “nances”
of stone, each of 16 to 18 “tonneaux,” from the river to the castle,
for the masonry of the new bridge and the new gate of the castle. This
material was taken by the king’s direction from the dismantled “manoir”
of Veules or Weulles, at St. Valery-en-Caux. The accounts of 1378-80
mention the tower on the bridge behind the keep, its drawbridge, axles,
ties, “vergues” or levers 18 feet long, and its beams of 9 feet. This
was probably the southern drawbridge and gate, including the opening
of the communication between this and the basement of the keep.
These works are attributed to Charles V. about 1378-80. He probably
only pierced the existing central tower, not otherwise altering or
rebuilding it.
The next considerable work was the outer ward, which may be attributed
to the fifteenth century, subsequently to the general use of brick and
the introduction of siege artillery. It is singular that no record of
this very considerable work should be preserved, for it included not
only the outer ward, a castle in itself, with its enormous towers and
massive curtains, but the extension of the very formidable ditch, the
repair of the older walls and towers, and finally the fitting up and
vaulting of the keep. All this is supposed to have been the work of
Francis I., and it is said that the date of 1553 was inscribed upon
some of the additions to the keep.
Henry IV., during his occupation of the castle in 1589, may have
constructed quarters in the inner ward and repaired what was amiss in
the old building; but more probably his traces are to be found in the
field works which crown the adjacent hills, and along the high ground
towards Dieppe.
It has been thought that the ditch of the castle is a remain of an
older fortification, such a work as the early Northmen or still earlier
Celts might have constructed. No doubt this was usually the case with
the sites of the great Norman castles, both in Normandy and in England,
and the position of Arques is a tempting one. There is, however, no
positive evidence of an earlier encampment.
It will be observed that the keep is so placed as to command both the
inner ward and the most exposed side of the castle,—that along the
level ridge of the promontory. It was perfectly capable of holding
out when all else was taken, and finally, if threatened with fire or
starvation, its garrison had a possible escape by the galleries.
This castle is the triumph of Norman skill. Often attacked, it was
never taken by storm. Without being a royal residence it was visited
in peace or in war by our Norman kings, from the Conqueror to John,
and by most of the kings of France, from Henry I. to Henry IV.; and,
after a lapse of 800 years, its oldest parts are still those best worth
attention, and are at least as well preserved as the additions of far
later date.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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